We don’t know if there were less babies with ties, or if we simply dealt with the ties without the faff of assessments and referrals and therefore it wasn’t the breastfeeding deterrent that it is today.
The loss of knowledge being passed down, or the belonging to a “village”, has certainly had a negative impact on breastfeeding.
In the past, knowledge and wisdom would have been passed down from generation to generation. Support would have been readily available from the older generations. That is rarely the case these days.
In the 1960s, my sister-in-law was born. On the ward she was born, only one mother breastfed.
So much knowledge was lost, as there was simply no one to pass it down to.
After a few generations of formula fed babies, we barely know the basics of breastfeeding. We are having to relearn and re-educate each other.
The article states that social media has a part to blame in the “tie hysteria” but I disagree. Through these platforms we are able to rebuild our knowledge and regain that village that so many of us so desperately need. If it wasn’t for my online support groups, I can’t say I would have been able breastfeed my second for as long as I have.
My first, well she had a tie which went undiagnosed, although she was assessed many times. Unfortunately, we never overcame the issues, and as such she was given my expressed milk out of a bottle.
Some mums are able to have a successful breastfeeding journey with a baby who has a tie, and that’s absolutely great! This, however, is not always the case.
Some mums struggle with pain, milk blisters, reoccurring blocked ducts, mastitis and many more issues which can challenge a breastfeeding relationship.
Maybe instead of calling ties a “fad”, we should look at offering suitable support both in the way of assessment and in the form of peer support more freely. If it’s something as easily fixed as an attachment issue, there should be readily accessible support groups. If it indeed is a tie, there needs to be appropriate support and resolution offered to both mother and child.
Creating doubt around the validity of tongue ties may well stop mothers from asking for help out of fear of being ridiculed. Would that not mean taking a huge leap backwards in breastfeeding support?
The Gentle Mum is a woman, simply trying to maneuver through motherhood with empathy and respect. Between training to become a breastfeeding peer supporter, completing her degree in Youth and Child studies and pursuing her writing hobby, she can be found on the school run, flustered whilst trying to be the best mother she can possibly be. These are her thoughts and musings on life, alongside the ups and downs of motherhood.
